Despite my protestations about not having time for another “series” I have found myself picking up the Mickey Haller books in some sort of order. In this installment, for a case that was first tried 24 years ago, we see Mickey going over to the “dark side” of the courtroom as a prosecutor rather than the attorney for the defense.

The appeal of these books have for me are the characters rather than the plots. When the characters are well written I can give a little leeway for “formula” plots. Although each of these books has a different (and admittedly interesting) storyline the steps followed for getting to the end are pretty much the same. Caring about the characters is what keeps me reading. ( )

In the Reversal we get a combination of Mickey Haller, his ex wife Maggie, and Harry Bosch. As a result we get a mystery and a legal thriller in one.

This book watches Mickey move from defense attorney to prosecutor. It was a strange transition and feels a little off.

I did not like this one as much as the first two Mickey Haller books, but it was still a good read. Mickey, Maggie, and Harry team up to try to re-convict a child murderer after his verdict is over-turned. What I liked best about this book was that it shows some of the fallacies of our legal system, but the end isn't a forgone conclusion just because our heroes are involved.

If you enjoyed the first two books, I would recommend this book. If you didn't, you may want to give this one a pass.

This story teams two half brothers, Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller in the case focusing on the retrial of a low life that killed a little girl 25 years previously. Lots of it focused on courtroom drama. ( )

Plot -- 19 out of 20 pointsThe idea that a killer could be guilty, despite being exonerated by physical evidence, is a nice twist on the recent developments in DNA testing that have led to long-time prisoners being released. Jason Jessup is hardly a model prisoner, but he knows how to work the crowd. Normally arguing cases for the defense, Mickey Haller finds himself outside his comfort zone when he is tapped to prove Jessup actually did the killings for which he served time. Calling on an ex-wife or two as legal backup is a nice touch, as is the use of half-brother and experienced cop Harry Bosch.

Characters -- 19 out of 20 pointsMr. Connelly’s strong suit as an author is his ability to develop characters that manage to push themselves beyond their ordinary strengths once they become invested in the case. It’s easy to understand the frustration of a cop like Harry; he knows too well that if he gets it wrong, someone could die. Mickey, suddenly on the “dark” side of prosecuting, focuses on what matters most, determining whether Jessup is innocent or guilty, in order to prepare the prosecution. The lead females in the story are portrayed as smart, empathetic, and humanizing in the author’s hands. Having both men dealing with daughters at the same time offers a nice contrast in their choices of approach to the world of teenage angst. One of the most sympathetic characters is Sarah Gleason. It’s hard not to root for her as she takes on an almost impossible task in the courtroom, convincing jurors she really did identify the real killer all those years ago.

Setting -- 18 out of 20 pointsThe legal and law enforcement aspects of the case are treated very differently by the prosecution and investigation teams, and Mr. Connelly uses an interesting technique to highlight the unique perspectives. By sharing Mickey’s story in the first person and Harry’s in the third, it creates the illusion of merging together the two entities. The prosecutorial process is rife with politics and tainted by the constant maneuvering for position as top dog. The investigatory process is all about getting the evidence right and striving to avoid the temptation to cut corners, while pursuing very dangerous felons, occasionally stymied by the realities of Constitutional law. Harry and his team might suspect Jessup is about to kill again, but that’s not enough probable cause to trample the creep’s rights.

Pacing -- 19 out of 20 pointsThe tale moves quickly, even as it passes back and forth between points of view. There’s plenty of action as Harry and his team of specialists tail Jessup on his nocturnal forays. The author blends everyday family interactions into the mystery, giving us those ordinary moments between tense, frantic chases, allowing the reader a few pages of breathing space and some valuable emotional downtime for the heroes. The courtroom antics and lawyer exchanges, while less physically dramatic (with a couple of important exceptions) than the police hunts, are intellectually and verbally vibrant, keeping the reader’s interest.

Tone -- 19 out of 20 pointsThe author manages to make this story come alive by enticing us to care one way or another about the characters, whether it’s to revile some or feel compassion for others. No one is perfect, mistakes are made, but by the time the finale unfolds, it’s easy to feel comfortable and safe in the company of the determined team trying to get a bad guy off the streets. The personal differences between Mickey and Harry remain tucked out of sight as the two men work together; those family mysteries take a back seat to the importance of solving the case. The reader learns that Harry’s daughter used to live with her mother and something terrible happened. The father-daughter relationship is still new to him, and as he adjusts to having his daughter in his home, he tries to balance fairness with the realities of his job. Is Jessup stalking him, stalking his family? Harry will do whatever it takes to protect everyone from the man he believes is a monster. ( )

Wikipedia in English (2)

Longtime defense attorney Mickey Haller is recruited to change stripes and prosecute the high-profile retrial of a brutal child murder. After 24 years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Haller is convinced Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case on the condition that he gets to choose his investigator, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch.

Together, Bosch and Haller set off on a case fraught with political and personal danger. Opposing them is Jessup, now out on bail, a defense attorney who excels at manipulating the media, and a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years.

With the odds and the evidence against them, Bosch and Haller must nail a sadistic killer once and for all. If Bosch is sure of anything, it is that Jason Jessup plans to kill again.

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After 24 years in prison, convicted killer Jason Jessup has been exonerated by new DNA evidence. Longtime defense attorney Mickey Haller is convinced Jessup is guilty, and he takes the case on the condition that he gets to choose his investigator, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. Together, Bosch and Haller set off on a case fraught with political and personal danger. Opposing them is Jessup, now out on bail, a defense attorney who excels at manipulating the media, and a runaway eyewitness reluctant to testify after so many years.… (more)